UFC owners TKO Group Holdings revealed they lost approximately $30 million (£22 million) staging the Freedom 250 event at the White House in June, despite the spectacle drawing millions of viewers worldwide.
The invitation-only event, attended by US President Donald Trump and Vice-President JD Vance, formed part of celebrations marking the 250th anniversary of American independence. Around 4,300 invited guests gathered on the South Lawn of the White House, with no tickets made available to the general public.
TKO had anticipated the event would be loss-making, with initial staging costs estimated at more than $60 million (£44 million). However, the company was able to offset part of the expense through sponsorships, media rights and commercial partnerships.
In May, reports suggested "high-roller" guests could secure exclusive access packages costing as much as $1.5 million (£1.1 million). While UFC sources confirmed to BBC Sport that such premium packages existed, they declined to disclose their price.
Speaking to investors on Monday, TKO chief financial officer Andrew Schleimer said the company incurred significantly higher-than-normal costs for Freedom 250, which were "partially offset with sold-out global partnerships inventory."
"Given the event's profile, which, as anticipated, resulted in an approximate $30 million loss, our margins at UFC as well as on a consolidated basis were meaningfully impacted," Schleimer said.
Despite the financial hit, TKO reported strong second-quarter results, with UFC revenue rising 29% year-on-year to $535.7 million (£398.7 million).
The increase was driven largely by a $64.7 million (£48.2 million) boost in media rights revenue following TKO's landmark seven-year, $7.7 billion (£5.7 billion) broadcasting agreement with Paramount, which became UFC's exclusive US media partner in 2026.
Freedom 250 was streamed exclusively on Paramount+ in the United States and attracted an average global audience of 34 million viewers, making it one of the most-watched mixed martial arts events in history.
President Trump has maintained a long-standing friendship with UFC president Dana White, and the White House event coincided with Trump's 80th birthday.
